Oxytocin utilization for labor induction in obese and lean women

Obese women required significantly greater oxytocin doses during labor induction compared to lean women.

• A cohort of 27 obese patients (BMI >40 kg/m2) was matched with lean patients (BMI <28 kg/m2) for various factors.
• The maximum oxytocin administration rate was 17.7±4.7 mU/min in obese women versus 13.1±5.0 mU/min in lean women (P=0.001).
• Oxytocin administered per minute during the first stage of labor was higher in obese women (11.6±4.8 mU/min) compared to lean women (8.6±4.1 mU/min; P=0.020).
• No significant differences were found in active phase duration or maximum rate of cervical dilatation between the two groups.
• Differences in oxytocin requirements could not be attributed to parity, birth weight, pre-induction conditions, or epidural use.

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